SO UN D I N G T H E T E A CH IN G
2
Exposition
EXPERIENCING MUSIC PERFORMANCE
Students’ Musical
Contributions in Class
BY WONG Y ANG H UI, N A V A L BASE SE C ONDARY SC HOOL
QUESTION
How do students with formal music
training and those without differ in terms
of their contribution towards music
knowledge, understandings, responses
and behaviours in General Music lessons?
CONTEXT
Students worked in groups on their End-
of-Year Music Project to produce a cover
of a song. This project takes place after
they have learnt the following in the year:
Term 1: Ukulele, Music Arrangement
Term 2: Keyboard, Music Arrangement
Term 3: Drums (iPad), Cajon, Music
Arrangement
LITERATURE REVIEW
Formal music learning (Mak, 2006) is
defined as learning that:
Occurs within an organised and
structured context
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EX A MI NI NG MU SI C LEA R NI NG EX P ER I ENC ES
Is based on a curriculum (structured in
terms of learning objectives, duration,
content, method and assessment)
Aimed at the acquisition of relevant
music competencies
Is credential based and leads to
formal recognition
METHODOLOGY
Case study of a group of students
working on their End-of-Year Project
Student Formal/
Non-formal
Music Training
(for purpose of
inquiry) S Non-formal Had been playing the ukulele
since he was 12
Sang in a choir
Self-taught guitar and bass
guitar
Played tenor saxophone in band
Learned basic theory in band
Felt that he “didn’t know
anything about music”
YS Formal Learnt drums for a year in
Primary 3 (Grade 2)
Took private piano lessons for
two years (Grade 5)
Played the drum, timpani,
bells and other percussion
instruments in a band
Chose the keyboard for the
project as he thought it was easy
to play
L Non-formal Considered himself to have
“no music background”
Did not like singing (was forced
to sing by his friends)
Had no choice as all the other
instruments were taken up
WZ Non-formal Learnt the recorder in
primary school
B Formal Took private guitar lessons
in Primary 3 (Grade 2) –
quit because of PSLE
Took private piano lessons
(Grade 3)
1
Interviews with
participants for
gathering of students’
music profile
2
In the context of the inquiry, formal music
learning takes place when students take
up voice or instrumental lessons that
work towards graded examinations.
Non-formal music learning (Mok, 2011)
is defined as learning that:
Is relatively systematic and (but not
necessarily) pre-planned, with a clear
intention on the part of the learner
and teacher to accomplish a particular
learning task
STUDENT PROFILE
Student’s group work
over four weeks is
documented in video
and audio recordings
3
In the context of the inquiry, non-
formal music learning can take place
in co-curricular activities in schools or
in community music groups, or when
students learn music on their own.
Student discussions
are transcribed
4
Student discussions
are analysed through
thematic coding
Details of Background
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